The Mazi Mavrodaphne Rosé 2025 is an unusual bottling: Mavrodaphne, a deeply coloured Greek red variety best known from the sweet fortified wines of Patras, made here as a dry rosé in McLaren Vale. The result sits at the darker, more robust end of rosé, closer to a light red than a typical Provençal pink, and unlike almost anything else on an Australian rosé shelf.

The colour hints at what follows: dark cherry, plum skin and a savoury, faintly spiced character on the nose, with none of the pale strawberry lightness of more conventional rosé, and a faint dried-fig note in the background. The palate carries that dark fruit through, with a firmer, more textured mouthfeel than most rosé styles and a lingering savoury edge.

Dry and structured, with enough grip and depth to sit somewhere between rosé and light red, finishing on a savoury, slightly earthy note rather than fading quickly, and holding its shape well in the glass.

Its weight and structure suit richer, spiced food than rosé usually gets: lamb kofte, grilled haloumi, a tomato-based stew, or anything with warm spice and a little char.

Enjoy it over the next year or two, while the fruit stays fresh against that darker, savoury frame.